Page 102 ⋆ Jersey Bites

The Jersey Fresh Food Festival at Alstede Farms

Marina Kennedy

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August 19, 2015

The Jersey Fresh Food Festival at Alstede Farms

Alstede Farms in Chester is an incredibly vibrant, 600-acre working farm. It is the place to be for a wonderful summertime outing with family or friends. Whether you want to pick your own produce, shop in their charming farm store, see friendly farm animals, or engage in special attractions like the seasonal Sunflower Maze or Corn Maze, there is something for everyone at this fantastic country venue. Alstede Farms is a real jewel of the Garden State, with quite a breathtaking drive to get there!

When you visit, make sure to bring your walking shoes, or take in one of the hayride tours, because you’ll want to see as much of the farm as possible. There are beautiful views from all areas of the farm, perfect for special photo opportunities and scenic points.

The Alstede Farm team is made up of truly good stewards, and the farm is a sustainable environment. The farm contributes to the local economy by employing nearly 200 people in their busiest season. In addition, they also maintain over a thousand local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) locations throughout the metropolitan area.

This weekend, Alstede Farms will host the Jersey Fresh Food Festival on Saturday, August 22, and Sunday, August 23. During the festival, you can pick your own fresh produce, and enjoy freshly prepared food samples made with local Jersey Fresh fruits and vegetables. Samples will be served between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. in the Festival Tent. Recipes will also be provided, giving new ideas on how to use local produce in your summer meals.

The festival will also feature chefs from The Black Forest Inn Restaurant in Stanhope. This local, authentic German restaurant will present dishes made with Alstede Farms’ zucchini, corn, tomatoes and peppers.

Alstede Farms offers plenty of reasons to come back for more, and you can check their monthly calendar for special events. Their picking season lasts from late spring through Thanksgiving.

Alstede Farms
1 Alstede Farms Lane
Chester
908-879-7189

The Beauty of Canning

Hillary Irwin

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August 19, 2015

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10 Must-Try Brunches in Northern New Jersey

Veronique @ Food & Wine Chickie

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August 18, 2015

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10 Must-Try Brunches in Northern New Jersey

While northern New Jersey is home to countless diner breakfast spots, it also offers many great brunch options. We’ve rounded up 10 of the most popular brunches you’ll find in North Jersey.

Anthony David’s
The popular Hoboken restaurant serves à la carte brunch daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. BYO.

953 Bloomfield St.
Hoboken
201-222-8399

Blue Morel Restaurant
Sunday brunch buffet is offered from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at a cost of $32 for adults and $16 for children under 12.

2 Whippany Rd.
Morristown
973-451-2619

Bottagra Brunch. Photo courtesy of Bottagra

Bottagra
Infamous for its champagne showers and glow sticks brunches, Bottagra creates a full nightclub experience around its popular brunch. A table can be reserved for Brunch Season 6 starting September 21. Buy tickets in advance online or call 862-668-2473.

80 Wagaraw Rd.
Hawthorne
973-423-4433

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Crystal Springs Resort
This all-American buffet breakfast is served from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at a cost of $22.95 for adults, $14.95 for kids ages 4 to 11, and free for kids 3 and under.

1 Wild Turkey Way
Hamburg
855-977-6473

Escape Montclair
A two-course, $19 brunch menu is offered on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Children under 12 are $10. BYO. (Pictured at top. Courtesy of Danny Chin.)

345 Bloomfield Ave.
Montclair
973-744-0712

Haven
With gorgeous views of Manhattan, Haven offers a choice of à la carte or $26 prix fixe with includes a choice of one brunch item and two Mimosas or bloody Marys.

2 Main Street, Suite G
Edgewater Harbor, Edgewater
201-943-1900

Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen
An à la carte brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Oyster & Wine Bar on Sundays. Don’t miss ordering a cocktail at this popular restaurant.

110 South St.
Morristown
973-644-3180

Raval Lamb Meatballs. Photo by Raval — Raval lamb meatballs. Photo courtesy of Raval

Raval Tapas Bar & Cocktail Lounge
Raval serves up its “El Brunch” every Saturday and Sunday, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.and diners can opt to order off the à la carte menu or pay $35/person for all-you-can-eat brunch food with $1 Mimosas, sangria, bloody Marys or Estrella Damm Draft.

136 Newark Ave.
Jersey City
201-209-1099

Satis Bistro
At Satis Bistro, brunch is served every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. In addition to the à la carte menu, Satis offers any brunch selection plus bloody Mary, mimosa, or bellini for $17.95.

212 Washington St.
Jersey City
201-435-5151

Sweet Basil’s Café
Brunch is served daily from 8a.m. to 3 p.m. with interesting options like the pulled pork benedict and the whiskey raisins and bananas pancakes.

498 South Livingston Ave.
Livingston
973-994-3600

Photo by Terre a Terre — Photo courtesy of Terre a Terre

Have you brunched at any of these places? Please let us know about your experience. Did we miss any of your favorites? Please let us know!

Cheers,

Veronique Deblois is a food, wine and travel blogger based in Morris County, NJ. As the author of the popular blogs, Food & Wine Chickie Insider and Veronique Travels, Veronique shares recipes, wine, restaurant and travel reviews. Follow Veronique on Twitter or like her Facebook page.

Gleaning Leaves No Produce Behind

Jennifer Miller

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August 14, 2015

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Gleaning—the collection of food that’s been left behind after harvesting—can be traced back to the times of the Old Testament, when farmers were told to allow the collection of their leftover produce either by or for the needy. Today, in the United States, groups of volunteers have dedicated themselves to salvaging what the USDA estimates to be 96 billion pounds of produce that is left in fields every year. That’s 20% of the nation’s food supply. In addition, it is estimated that every year, close to 16 million children are at risk of going hungry. Gleaning helps fight that battle as gleaned crops go to local food banks and pantries. Farmers Against Hunger (FAH) has been part of the Harvesting for the Hungry movement in New Jersey, bringing volunteers together in support of helping the needy enjoy fresh produce, while also supporting locally based growers and producers since 1996. They deliver to more than 70 organizations statewide. In short, gleaning helps low income people get access to fresh food while building strong relationships in communities and with local farms.

voluteers loading truck — Photo Courtesy of NJ Farmers Against Hunger

On commercial farms, gleaning happens after the harvesting process is complete because mechanical machinery often leaves food in the fields. On medium to smaller farms, it occurs when the collection of food costs more then the profit gained and the farmer can’t afford to collect it. Ort Farms in Long Valley, has been gleaning for four years. “Gleaning is important because we are a community-oriented family farm and we like to help those in need,” says Nicole Ort Moke, farm market manager. “Gleaning provides a perfect win-win situation that allows us to eliminate waste and see produce go into the hands of [people] who need it.” Ort Farms also values the volunteer workforce, noting that this group makes up “an integral part of the gleaning programs.” She goes on to say, “The produce is here, we just need to find someone to pick it! We have a strong sense of pride in what we grow and it’s such a great feeling to see produce that used to be wasted, go to those who need it.” The farm produces the bounty, volunteers pick it and FAH delivers it. Together, they put this food to good use while also helping the agricultural community cut back on food waste.

Photo Courtesy of NJ Farmers Against Hunger

Our bodies function best on wholesome, real food, but according to the New Jersey Agricultural Society, more than one in six Americans report an inability to afford enough food. From farms to farmers markets to abandoned fields, there is a variety of edible food in our midst and gleaning helps it to cross socio-economic boundaries and allow those Americans who don’t have the time, money, or information to eat good food consistently. Gleaning offers an ideal arrangement to all parties involved.

If you would like to learn more about gleaning or sign up to volunteer, please visit New Jersey Agricultural Society. To help support The New Jersey Agricultural Society’s Farmers Against Hunger (FAH) program, vote for the Program Director, Kristina Guttadora now through August 31. Guttadora was selected as one of three candidates for the NJ Heroes Foundation’s “NJ Heroes” Award. If she wins, she will use the $7,500 prize to kick start the FAH’s new truck fund. With your help, we can help get the truck fund off to a good start.

Vote here!

Whole Foods Opens in Clark

MStavrou

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August 13, 2015

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There’s highly anticipated, and then there’s hundreds of people eagerly waiting outside for your store to open. That’s what happened when Whole Foods opened its doors in Clark on August 7. Large crowds gathered, excited to check out the newest NJ location of the popular grocery store chain. Whole Foods makes an effort to personalize every one of its stores, and the Clark location is no exception. It has local products from around the region prominently displayed throughout the store, and customers can be expected to find plenty of NJ produce when it’s in season. The store is a full-service grocery, with meat, seafood, and cheese departments, each bearing the Whole Foods imprint. The seafood department relies on Trinity Seafood in Asbury Park, and emphasizes seafood sustainability. The meat department has its own in-house smoker, which will offer 10 varieties of bacon.

In addition to traditional grocery departments, the Clark Whole Foods offers additional goodies that customers are sure to appreciate. The bakery will offer Jersey style diner cakes, with nearly all of the baked goods done in house. The coffee and juice bar will serve up a variety of coffee drinks (in partnership with Allegro Coffee), as well as fresh pressed juices, smoothies, and matcha drinks. Matcha, which is finely ground green tea, offers a slower release of caffeine and is making its Whole Foods debut at the Clark location. Prepared foods, something that Whole Foods is especially known for, will be offered in the form of an extensive salad bar, as well as with sushi, pizza, and BBQ departments.

The Clark location also boasts its own restaurant: Clark Bar. The restaurant has 12 beers on tap, all of them craft beers from well-renowned local brewers like Carton, Kane, and Bolero Snort. One of the beers offered, Markt Saison from Kane, is exclusive to Whole Foods. The beer selection will change seasonally, and the restaurant hopes to eventually offer craft beer dinners. The restaurant, open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, serves up burgers, flatbreads, salads, and even has a kids’ menu.

Red labels throughout the store call out local products, which are available in most every department. One of the partnerships the store is most proud of is with Dan Richer, co-owner of Razza Pizza Artigianale. Razza is packaging the amazing butter served at the restaurant, and selling it exclusively at Whole Foods. Whole Foods employs a local forager, whose job is to constantly search out local food purveyors for sale at the store. A quick walk down any aisle shows that connecting with the community is something that the company takes very seriously.

At the end of the day, Whole Foods wants people to view the store as their go-to grocery store. The Clark location is personalized for the community it serves, with a real family focus, large amount of local food, and the quality standards that people have come to expect from the Whole Foods brand. Discounts and samples will be in abundance as Whole Foods welcomes people into the store, so stop by and see why the employees pride the store on offering things you won’t find anywhere else.

Whole Foods Market
1255 Raritan Road
Clark

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Striking Lunchtime Gold at the Silver Diner in Cherry Hill

Michael Gabriele

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August 12, 2015

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Striking Lunchtime Gold at the Silver Diner in Cherry Hill

It was a warm, sunny Monday afternoon, and I was ridin’ the trails out west in Cherry Hill, in the saddle of my…SUV, when I had a powerful hankerin’ to rustle up some good ol’ bison grub.

OK, I’ll admit it—I don’t have a very convincing Texas accent and I would make a lousy cowboy. And that day I really didn’t have a hankerin’’ for bison—at least not until I walked into the Silver Diner, located on Route 38 in the Hillview Shopping Center in Cherry Hill.

First, a little background info on the Silver Diner. It is a diner, but it’s also a restaurant chain that was launched in 1989 by founders Robert Giaimo and Chef Ype Von Hengst. The first Silver Diner opened in Rockville, MD. There are a combined 14 Silver Diners in Maryland and Virginia. The diner in Cherry Hill (number 15) is the only one in the Garden State.

The basic concept behind the venture is to capture the “retro” charm and look of a stainless steel roadside diner while providing a contemporary menu. The Silver Diner’s “food philosophy,” as spelled out on its website is to create classic diner dishes, but also provide “new twists” with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. The franchise also touts its sourcing of fresh food from 15 farms in the mid-Atlantic region as a way to support sustainable agriculture.

It was lunchtime and it felt like a good day to be mildly adventurous, so the bison huevos rancheros was an inviting selection. The dish featured ground bison topped with two, over-easy Amish eggs (from a Pennsylvania farm, I presume), chorizo hash, goat cheese, salsa, guacamole, cilantro and scallions, all complemented by three soft, multi-grained tortilla chips.

Bison Huevos Rancheros_ Siver Diner — Bison huevos rancheros

It was absolutely delicious.

Having never sampled bison, I tried to isolate its qualities compared to ground beef. In terms of texture, it was very similar to beef, but the bison meat was moist, light and had a salty-sweet taste—not gamey at all. I consulted my attentive waitress on all this and she told me that my bison observations were right on target. In fact, she had assured me I would enjoy this dish while I was pondering my options for lunch, and I certainly did.

Scanning the menu, other temping lunch items included a ribeye Philly cheesesteak, a BLT club sandwich, and several lunch specials under 600 calories: Baja fish tacos, grilled salmon and flounder, mango veggie stir fry, and Santa Cruz chicken. Another option that caught my eye was the salmon sliders on locally baked artisan bread.

Bread Pudding_ Silver Diner — Bread pudding

Coffee, served in a large mug, was up to snuff. Continuing to push the envelope on my meal, I decided to toss caution aside and go big on dessert—bread pudding. It was a warm, heaping helping of moist bread chunks covering a savory sweet mixture of apples and cinnamon, drizzled with carmel syrup and topped with vanilla ice cream. Very nice. I ate half and brought the rest home, which I enjoyed as a late-night snack.

As for diner atmospherics, the Silver Diner’s interior is spacious and comfortable with soft lighting and numerous booths. The designers did their homework, as evidenced by the long cultured-stone counter. Sitting at the counter provides customers with an eye-level view of the kitchen—where flames leapt, food sizzled, and cooks smiled.

Other architectural highlights include a two-tone blue and white tile floor, glass brick appointments, neon signs, and stainless steel throughout. Jukeboxes are a nostalgic touch. In addition, there are numerous photo prints of vintage diner scenes provided by historian and author Richard Gutman, the dean of the study of diner history Americana. (Gutman is the director and curator of the Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson & Wales University, in Providence, RI.)

If there are plans for a sixteenth Silver Diner in the works anytime soon, let’s hope the decision makers consider finding a site in northern New Jersey. Now that’s something any diner-loving, Garden State cowboy would appreciate.

Silver Diner
2131 New Jersey 38
Cherry Hill

(Across from Cherry Hill Mall)

Shanghai 46 in Fairfield

Terry Krongold

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August 11, 2015

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Note: Jersey Bites was invited to visit Shanghai 46 and our writer received a complimentary meal.

During a recent visit to Shanghai 46 in Fairfield, we feasted on a non-stop parade of beautifully crafted dishes, starting with the famous (and one of my favorites) Steamed Juicy Buns (pork or crab), the delicate Shanghai Shepherd Purse Wonton Soup, and the crispy-outside/moist-inside Shanghai Marinated Duck. We were off to a very good start with these appetizers!

Owner Kevin Lin, who also owns Cheng Du 23 in Wayne, treated us to many courses during the evening. My favorites included the aptly named Lion’s Head meatballs. Fist-sized, these delicious pork and tofu meatballs with oyster sauce were so tender and flavorful. I also loved the pickled mustard greens with pork; the delicate Shanghai udon noodles; roasted garlic chicken; and moo shu pancake with beef. Yes, there was a lot of food!

New Jersey diners have many Asian restaurants to choose from and I think most people are more familiar with Cantonese or Szechuan styles. I asked Lin what makes Shanghai cuisine different from cooking in other parts of China. He told me that it’s much lighter, and with subtle spices. Not overwhelming or heavy. A good example of this was a unique dish that I’ve never seen anywhere else: pumpkin with salted egg yolk. This dish consisted of thinly sliced pumpkin coated with egg yolk and lightly fried. Crispy, delicious, and addictive!

Shanghai 46 also serves some of the dishes that may be more familiar to many patrons of area restaurants, such as General Tso’s chicken and kung pao chicken, along with a few Asian fusion dishes. We sampled the beef with Thai basil from this part of the menu and it was very good. But what you really want here is the authentic Shanghai cuisine. This is where Lin and his team excel.

Shanghai 46
14 US Highway 46 East
Fairfield
973-808-5888

Open 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Closed Tuesday
Dim Sum served Saturday and Sunday

A Decadent Dozen in Bergen County: Glaze Donuts

Lisa Pisano

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August 11, 2015

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A Decadent Dozen in Bergen County: Glaze Donuts

Behold, it’s the day of the donut.

And it’s about time, don’t you think?

I recently had the chance to check out Glaze Donuts, an artisanal donut shop in New Milford.

Quality and Care

What makes Glaze Donuts unique? Well, I can tell you that the aroma alone upon entering the shop transported me to another place in time. It smelled like an “old-tyme bake shoppe:” a buttery, yeasty, sugary smell with just a hint of coffee.

It was absolutely heavenly!

And that’s probably due, in part, to what goes IN to making these artisanal treats.

“As a child growing up in New Jersey, you could always find quality, great tasting donuts at farm stores or down the shore,” says founder Jules Hazou. “What makes us different is our commitment to producing premium quality traditional and eccentric donuts and baked goods.”

This means donuts made without preservatives, artificial coloring, or high fructose corn syrup. And everything is cooked in small batches.

If one gets too oily or over done? It doesn’t make the display case. Plain and simple.

Fab Flavors

If you pick up the Glaze Donuts flyer or visit the website, you’ll see more than 50 varieties of Classic, Glazed & Infused, and Artisan Donuts.

Sure, there’s your standard glazed, powdered, cinnamon, and chocolate frosted (my personal favorite). But then there’s – ready for this? – maple bacon, banana foster, white chocolate pretzel and sea salt, French toast, piña colada, Aztec chocolate, Twix style, bourbon caramel, mango, blood orange, Reversed Jersey, and more.

And even when we’re talking about flavors like lemon, wild strawberry, peach, and blueberry – the folks at Glaze tell me they’re not using factory-made, artificially dyed flavorings. If it’s strawberry season, you’re getting freshly preserved strawberries in your strawberry-filled donut.

And that maple bacon donut? It’s topped with premium cut smoked bacon and SO decadent that it might be best shared.(I did think it could have been a hint crispier for maximum flavor, texture, and overall WOW factor.)

Glaze tells me that they change up the flavors on a daily basis, but standards like chocolate frosted, glazed, powdered and the aforementioned rock star, maple bacon are pretty much always present.

My family sampled the sour cream, cannoli, chocolate frosted, maple bacon, glazed, and triple chocolate varieties. My favorites were a tie between the chocolate frosted and sour cream.

In addition to donuts, Glaze offers Zepps (zeppole), Beignets, Crepes, Muffins, Croissants, Cookies and Breakfast Sandwiches, along with a full hot and iced coffee menu.

Glaze Donuts
358 River Road
New Milford

NJ Fisheries: Harvesting Jersey Fresh Seafood Daily

Jersey Fresh

Cindy Dudas

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August 7, 2015

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NJ Fisheries: Harvesting Jersey Fresh Seafood Daily

New Jersey might be called the Garden State, but its agriculture expands far past the gorgeous green farmland out to the coast and beyond into another realm: aquaculture. New Jersey fishermen bring in tons of fresh seafood daily along the Jersey shore for our dining pleasure.

Even with all the wonderful seafood the Jersey coast has to offer, 91% of America’s fish is imported from other countries, according to Gef Flimlin, of the Rutgers Commercial Fisheries and Aquaculture Cooperative Extension. And do you really know where that fish is coming from or how it is harvested? Sustainability is one of the words that you hear a lot when discussing aquaculture. When it comes to fishing the NJ coast, sustainability is on the forefront of every fisherman’s mind.

By getting your seafood from local New Jersey fishermen like the ones at the Fisherman’s Dock Co-Op in Point Pleasant or Viking Village in Barnegat Light, you will know exactly where your dinner comes from, and you can rest assured that it has been harvested in a highly managed sustainable way. Each fisherman must comply with strict laws written by the National Fisheries Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that include restocking the waterways to maintain a successful crop each year while simultaneously improving the waterways. Clean water means higher quality products being harvested and brought to market.

One of the hang-ups people have when it comes to purchasing local seafood (as opposed to buying imported or skipping it altogether) is that local seafood can sometimes cost more than the alternative. However, not only does supporting local fisheries help keep our waterways safe, it also helps our local economy. When you purchase local seafood your dollars pay the fisherman who brought in the catch, as well as the boat repairman, the dock master, the crew, and everyone who had a hand in the operation. Everyone involved gets a portion, which they in turn use to stay in business themselves. Eventually, this cycle can lead to lower costs for everyone—if it is maintained.

Another reason for buying local is that the imports often include more commonly known types of fish, like shrimp, flounder, tilapia (which is actually a freshwater fish, not seafood). Learning how to cook the local seafood might seem like a hard task, but simple is the best way to prepare any seafood regardless of the type. And using local seafood will most likely help you end up with a much tastier dish!

On Fridays in the summer, Viking Village offers a dock tour to teach the public about the commercial seafood industry in NJ. You can see the facility in full operation while hearing about the delicious Jersey Seafood available each week. You can also learn how to prepare and cook those options with Chef Peter Fischbach. For more information on the tour, visit Viking Village’s website or call the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce at 609-494-7211.Support your local fisheries while enjoying the best seafood the East Coast has to offer!

Here are a few more resources for info about NJ’s commercial fishing industry and how to incorporate more local seafood into your lifestyle:

New Jersey Aquaculture

Fishermen’s Dock Cooperative

NOAA Fisheries

Rutgers: New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station

All photos are courtesy of Gef Flimlin.

North Eats: Asbury Park’s Beachfront Food Trucks

Melissa Beveridge

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August 5, 2015

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North Eats: Asbury Park’s Beachfront Food Trucks

Asbury Park has gained its fair share of delectable delights over the past few years. From new options in fine dining to countless takes on what good pizza actually tastes like, if you’re looking for a good meal, chances are you can find one in Asbury Park. So when North Eats debuted on the boardwalk this summer I was pretty excited to see what else would be thrown into the culinary mix.

Settled on the north end of the Asbury Park boardwalk, just past Convention Hall is North Eats. (It’s steps away from great surfing and the after hours dog beach.) Six food trucks are parked there for your eating pleasure, seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Under the canopy of bulb lights, this little food oasis has it all: Peruvian cuisine, organic pizza, pork roll sandwiches, sliders, ice cream and of course Korean tacos. I stopped by on a recent (hot) afternoon, ready to dig in, however my eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach. (A second visit is in order).

With my eating partner in tow, we divided and conquered. Deciding on a Bianca pizza from Neapolitan Express, a pork taco—Asian style—with spicy sriracha and kimchi made by Chef Andrew Mazza and Josh Scala from Seoul Fusion; Bourbon BBQ sliders (with fries, of course) from The Outslider, and a classic cebiche from RUNA Peruvian Cuisine.

After collecting all of our foodie goodies, we sat down at one of the picnic tables (after a game of cornhole) and were in awe at the range of dishes that we had just acquired—within feet of one another. It was like traveling to Korea, Peru, Italy, and, final destination—the Southern U.S. The two sliders were delicious—just cooked with a sweet BBQ sauce. The cebiche was amazingly refreshing, especially on a hot summer day. (We were sweating even though we were sitting under an umbrella). Chef Marita Lynn did an amazing job bringing the dishes that her customers love at her Red Bank restaurant of the same name, to the beach goers of Asbury Park. Onto the pizza, which Neapolitan Express touts as being the first organic and GMO-free pizza truck serving authentic Neapolitan pizza: three things I’m very into.

Made with “OO” flour and Ciao San Marzano tomatoes (well, not pie, because I went with the Bianca), the pizza tastes as good as it is for the environment. It’s actually the first eco-friendly food truck that’s powered by clean energy fuels. But really, who cares about all of that because it’s really the pizza we’re after and it’s stellar (especially coming from a food truck).

My favorite was the pork taco. It was incredibly flavorful and really hit the spot when it comes to taste and spice in my book. I’m looking forward to going back and trying out some more of their dishes including Bulgogi Bites that’s reminiscent of a Korean, meat-filled zeppole (sounds unusual, but you know you want a bite of it too).

Rounding out the food truck set (and on my to-try list for next time) is the Igloo Italian Ice & Ice Cream where owner David Hirschel, who owns a storefront in Oakhurst, brings ice cream up a notch (or ten) with his flavorful creations of homemade ice cream pops. Then there’s Johnny’s Pork Roll and Coffee Truck where pork roll aficionados can take a bite into New Jersey’s favorite meat anytime of day.

Chef Bryan Gregg to Compete at 2015 Great American Seafood Cook-Off

Veronique @ Food & Wine Chickie

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August 4, 2015

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Chef Bryan Gregg to Compete at 2015 Great American Seafood Cook-Off

Bryan Gregg, Chef and Owner of Escape Montclair, was recently crowned the winner of the 2015 Jersey Seafood Challenge held at Viking Village in Barnegat Light in late June. The winning dish,Barnegat Light Scallops, Creamless Creamed Corn and Jersey Chanterelles (pictured above), much like the food Chef Gregg serves at Escape, was created using locally-sourced ingredients and crafted specifically for the challenge.

As a result of his win at the 2015 Jersey Seafood Challenge, Chef Gregg will be New Jersey’s official representative at this weekend’s Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans. “It means a lot to me to have the chance to represent the Garden State at the national competition in New Orleans,” said Chef Gregg. “What I’m most excited about is showing people across the USA what we can do in the kitchen with the quality, local products available to us in New Jersey. I can’t wait to share my Jersey pride at the event and my twin boys think that dad being on Food Network is pretty cool.”

Only 20 chefs from across the country are invited to participate at the Great American Seafood Cook-Off, and the event champion will be named King or Queen of American Seafood. The cook-off will be televised by the Food Network (date and time to be announced) and is part of the Louisiana Foodservice Expo.

Chef Gregg generously shared the recipe to his winning scallop dish with Jersey Bites for readers to try to recreate at home.

To help show your support for Chef Gregg from now through the weekend, use hashtag #GASCO15 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and follow Jersey Fresh on Facebook or Twitter.

Good luck, Chef Gregg!

Veronique Deblois, Food & Wine Chickie: Veronique is a food and wine writer based in Morris County. As the author of the popular blog, Food & Wine Chickie Insider, Veronique shares recipes, wine and restaurant reviews and insight into the travel industry of which she’s a 15-year veteran. Follow Veronique on Twitter or like her Facebook page.

Recipe: Barnegat Light Scallops, Creamless Creamed Corn and Jersey Chanterelles

Veronique @ Food & Wine Chickie

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August 3, 2015

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Recipe: Barnegat Light Scallops, Creamless Creamed Corn and Jersey Chanterelles

Try this recipe from Escape Montclair‘s Chef Bryan Gregg.

Recipe yields 4 servings.

Creamed Corn Ingredients:

5 ears of corn, preferably from New Jersey
4 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper

Creamed Corn Directions:

Cut the kernels off 3 of the ears of corn.
Place the kernels in a blender with ¼ cup water and purée for a minute, until smooth with very few chunks.
Place a fine sieve over a bowl and pour the corn mixture in the sieve. Using the back of a spoon, gently push down on the corn mixture to extract all the corn liquid. Expect about ½ cup of liquid.
Cut the kernels off the last 2 ears of corn.
In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the kernels from the 2 ears and blanch for 1 minute. Strain the cooked corn kernels and place in a bowl filled with water and ice cubes for 5 minutes. Once cooled, strain again and dry over paper towels.
Over medium-low heat in a heavy saucepan, bring the corn liquid to a low simmer and whisk until thickened, about 10 minutes. Do not allow to boil or risk the liquid curdling.
Once the corn liquid has thickened, turn the heat to low and whisk in the butter until melted and fully incorporated. Add the cooled, blanched corn kernels and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat until ready to plate, at most, 10 minutes.

Seared Barnegat Scallops Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter
16 Barnegat scallops
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper

Seared Barnegat Scallops Directions:

In a large, nonstick sauté pan, melt the butter over high heat until slightly golden and frothy.
Season the scallops with salt and pepper and place them in the pan. Sear the scallops on the first side for 2 minutes without disturbing them. Once golden brown, flip the scallops and sear the second side, undisturbed, for 2 minutes.
Remove the scallops from the pan and set aside for later use. Reserve the butter-infused with scallop juices in the pan.

Jersey Chanterelles Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
½ pound chanterelle mushrooms (preferably from NJ), cleaned and cut in half if larger than bite-size.

Jersey Chanterelles Directions:

Over high heat, in the pan used to sear the scallops, add the 2 tablespoons of butter to the butter-infused with scallop juices.
Add the chanterelles and sauté for 4 minutes, or until softened and slightly browned.

Final Dish Assembly:

Divide the creamed corn among 4 bowls.
Top the creamed corn with 4 scallops per bowl.
Divide the chanterelles among 4 bowls and arrange around the scallops.

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